the family

The week in religion.

Criticism of Obama’s faith-based efforts becomes more pointed.

American evangelicals have helped cultivate the homophobic atmosphere in Uganda that has begun to translate into violence.

But there’s good news too.

Last week it was discovered that several powerful republicans at the heart of two sex scandals—Sens. John Ensign and Tom Coburn and Gov. Mark Sanford, among others—are members of The Family, reputed to be an “aggressively anti-democratic” Christian movement quietly steering us toward a “theocentric” state. Three scholars discuss The Family with the author. Sparks fly.

Under fire from LGBT rights activists, the American anti-gay crusader claimed he didn’t know about the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill, even as he organized an event decrying homosexuality in Uganda. A report from Sunday’s rally in Kampala shows that despite Engle’s denials of support, other speakers were calling for the bill’s passage.

At the National Prayer Breakfast, Hillary Clinton fondly remembered how Mother Teresa—or perhaps God—compelled her to encourage adoption. The behind-the-scenes story of how The Family brokered a truce between the pro-choice Clinton and anti-choice nun, by moving Clinton rightward on reproductive rights.

If people think the speech strongly condemned anti-LGBT discrimination, they have low expections.

Obama is scheduled to address the National Prayer Breakfast, organized by ‘The Family,’ which has ties to the ‘kill-the-gays’ bill in Uganda. Religious leaders, including a member of the president’s faith-based Advisory Council, are calling on the president to condemn homophobia and offer an alternative, inclusive prayer event.

♫ Kill-the-gays bill in Uganda sparks call for President Obama to condemn homophobia at NPB.